Tray rack adapter



Oct. 13, c K. MADDOX TRAY RACK ADAPTER Filed April 18, 1963 R v 20 r /oA *4 l6 INVENTOR.

CLYDE K. MADDOX United States Patent 3,152,698 TRAY CK ADAPTER Clyde K.Maddox, Redondo Beach, @alif. Edker Pope Co., 1580 E. Industrial St, LosAngeles, (Ialifi) Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,914 Claims. (ill.211126) This invention relates to a tray rack and is more particularlyconcerned with an adapter for use in connection with a tray rack tofacilitate engagement of trays of varying dimensions in the rack.

Ordinary or conventional tray racks such as are used in bakeries,restaurants, hospitals and the like are rigid frame-like structureshaving a plurality of laterallyspaced, parallel pairs of tray-engagingrails arranged in vertical spaced relationship. Due to the fact thatsuch racks must support considerable loads and are subjected to severestrains and stresses as a result of being moved about when loaded aswell as when ladened trays are slid into and out of engagementtherewith, they must be extremely rigid and free from working parts andthe like. As a result, such racks cannot be made adjustable toaccommodate trays of varying dimensions. This requires that separate andespecially manufactured racks must be provided for each of the severalstandard sizes of trays.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel, easy and economical wayto manufacture adapters applicable to a standard tray rack construction,which adapter or adapters can be easily and conveniently engaged withthe rack to facilitate engagement of trays of varying dimensions in therack.

It is an object of my invention to provide an adapter or adapters forthe purpose set forth above which are applicable to any one of theseveral tray rack constructions wherein the tray supporting parts ormembers, that is their rails, are L-shaped in cross-section, havinglaterally inwardly projecting, horizontal tray engaging flanges andupwardly projecting, vertical retaining or reinforcing flanges.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an adapter, L-shapedin cross-section, which adapter is coextensive with and is adapted to becooperatively engaged on L-shaped tray supporting members or rails in aconventional tray rack.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of typical preferredforms and applications of my invention, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical tray rack showing my adapterand trays related thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View of a portion of the structure shown in FIG.1, taken substantially as indicated by line 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my new adapter; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified form of adapteras provided by the present invention.

The ordinary tray rack A such as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawings is an open framework having four vertical corner posts 10,spreaders 11 extending between the posts 10 and the upper and lower endsthereof to hold them in fixed relationship with each other and aplurality of elongate, horizontal, vertically-spaced tray supportingrails R fixed to and extending between two adjacent corner posts and alight plurality of rails R fixed to and extending between the other twocorner posts. In practice, suitable caster wheels W are provided at thelower ends of the corner posts to facilitate transporting the rack.

In the particular case illustrated, each vertically-spaced series orsets of rails and the corner posts 10 related thereto are establishedfrom a single sheet of metal suitably punched and formed.

Each rail R is an elongate member, L-shaped in crosssection andestablishes a flat, horizontal inwardly-projecting tray supportingflange 15 and a flat, vertical, upwardly-projecting reinforcing flange16 The ends of the rails are, in the case illustrated, joined integrallywith the posts 10 related thereto, but could, if desired, be separateparts secured to the posts by means of suitable fasteners, such asrivets, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The corresponding or related rails are of the two series of railsprovided in the rack cooperate to establish laterally-spaced parallelpairs of rails. The inner opposing edges of the supporting flanges ofeach pair. of rails are spaced apart a fixed predetermined distance soas to cooperatively receive a conventional commercial food tray T of aparticular size.

The ordinary or conventional commercial food tray, such as is used inbakeries, restaurants and the like is a simple, flat, rectangular sheetmetal unit having an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange 20 about itsperimeter. The upper edge of the flange about the perimeter of the trayis provided with an outwardly and then downwardly turned lip 21. Inpractice, some trays of the character referred to, are provided withoutwardly-projecting, downwardly and inwardly-turned beads about theupper edges of the flanges 20, instead of lips, as illustrated in thedrawings, but this distinction does not affect the novelty of thepresent invention.

Trays T of the character referred to have become standardized so as tobe capable of being related to and handled by standard or conventionalapparatus and equipment found in kitchens and the like and are providedin several fixed predetermined sizes.

When a tray T is engaged in a tray rack, such as is illustrated in thedrawings, the inner edges of the supporting flanges of the rails areslidably engaged the adjacent or opposing flanges 20 upon the tray andthe lip 21 on the flange of the tray, engages and rests upon the topsurface of the supporting flange. It will be apparent that when the trayT is thus engaged in the rack A, it is supported on and extends betweenthe flanges 15 related thereto, through its lip 21 and is, guided and isprevented from shifting laterally out of engagement with the supportingflanges 15, by the said supporting flanges.

From the foregoing, it will be apaprent that in practice, a special rackmust be provided for each size of tray.

In carrying out the present invention, a rack A designed and constructedin accordance with the above and to cooperatively-engage and support alarge-size or the largest size tray T, is provided and one or more likeadapters B are provided to engage with the rack to adapt it for handlingtrays T and/or'T", of one or two sizes smaller.

Each adapter B is an elongate unitary sheet metal structure, L-shaped incross-section and corresponding, generally, in longitudinal extent withthe rails R of the rack A to which it is to be related.

Each adapter Bhas a flat horizontal inwardly-projecting support flange40 having an. outer portion with a flat bottom surface which seats uponthe flat top surface of the flange 15 of the rail R with which it isrelated and an inner portion having a straight inner edge, which portionreinforcing flange 16 of the rail R. The upper edge of the flange 41 isprovided with a laterally outwardly olfset longitudinal web 42, thelower edge of which establishes a substantially downwardly-disposed stopshoulder 43, which shoulder engages and seats upon the upper edge of theflange 16 of the rail.

The adapter B further includes one or more retaining clips 45 fixed tothe outer surface of the web 42 to depend therefrom and engage the outersurface of the reinforcing flange 16 and to hold the adapter inengagement on the rail.

The clip or clips 45 as the case may be, is shown as a simple, flat,vertical, rectangular plate 46 having one end fixed to the web of theadapter by means of a rivet 47 and its other ends depending from theweb, to occur in parallel spaced relationship from the flange 41.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings, I have shown a modified form of theinvention, in which, the stop shoulder 43' is established by anoutwardly-turned flange 45' on the upper edge of the flange 41' and thecleat 46 is in the nature of a downwardly-turned lip coextensive withthe flange 45'. The upper portion of the flange 41 flange 45' and lip orclip 46 establish a downwardly-opening channel which establishes hookedengagement with the upper edge of the flange 16 of the rail to which theadapted B is related.

This second form of the invention is less desirable than the first fonn,described above, since it takes more material to establish the adapter,the channel is more difficult to establish, the channel establishes atrap for foodstuff and is therefore less sanitary and the channel issubject to being crushed and collapsed so as to render the adapterunsuitable for use.

In practice, the adapter B that I provide can be engaged with the rail Rwith which it is to be related by arranging it with the rail R fromwithin the rack A, or, if desired, it can be engaged with the rail Rfrom the exterior of the rack A. When the adapter is engaged with therail from within the rack, its outer flange 41 is first extendedoutwardly through the opening X in the rack defined by the rail R, thenext higher rail related thereto and the corner posts related thereto,and is then lowered so that the clip slidably engages the outer surfacesof the supporting flange and the support flange and the outer flangeengage and seat on the support and reinforcing flanges of the rail. Whenthe adapter is engaged with the rail from the exterior of the rack, itis shifted through the opening X in the rack and is lowered intoengagement with the rail R in the same manner as set forth above. Theability to engage the adapter B with the rail R from the exterior of theframe is most important when laden trays are positioned in the rack andwould prevent engagement of the adapter from within the rack.

It is to be noticed that the ends of the web on the adapter B and theends of the flange on the adapter B oppose the adjacent corner posts sothat longitudinal shifting and displacement of the adapters B and B inthe rack, as when trays are slid into and out of engagement therewith,is prevented. That is, the adjacent corner posts serve as stops at theends of the adapters.

In practice, and as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, one adapter Bcan be used with each pair of rails, in which case a tray, one sizesmaller than that which the rack A is designed to receive can beaccommodated; or, two adapters can be employed, one on each rail R, inwhich case a tray two sizes smaller than that which the rack is designedto receive, can be accommodated.

In light of the foregoing, it will be apparent that with Havingdescribed only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention,I do not wish to be limited or U 4 may appear to those skilled in theart and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting supporting flanges and flat, vertically-disposedupwardly-projecting reinforcing flanges including, an elongate supportflange having an outer portion seated on the supporting flange of a railand an inner portion projecting inwardly from the supporting flange ofthe rail, an elongate, vertical, upwardlyprojecting outer flange engagedon the inner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly-projectingpart on the outer flange defining a downwardly-disposed stop shoulderengaged on the upper edge of the reinforcing flange and a clip fixed tothe upper part of the outer flange and slidably engaging the outersurface of the reinforcing flange.

2. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting supporting flanges and flat, vertically-disposedupwardly-projecting reinforcing flanges including, an elongate supportflange having an outer portion seated on the supporting flange of a railand an inner portion projecting inwardly from the supporting flange ofthe rail, an elongate, vertical, upwardlyprojecting outer flange engagedon the inner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly oflset webalong the upper edge of the outer flange defining downwardly disposedstop shoulder engaged on the upper edge of the reinforcing flange, and aclip fixed to the outer surface of the web to depend therefrom andslidably engage the outer surface of the reinforcing flange.

3. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting supporting flanges and flat, vertically-disposedupwardly-projecting reinforcing flanges including, an elongate supportflange having an outer portion seated on the supporting flange of a railand an inner portion projecting inwardly from the supporting flange ofthe rail, an elongate, vertical, upwardlyprojecting outer flange engagedon the inner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly offset webalong the upper edge of the outer flange defining a downwardly disposedstop shoulder engaged on the upper edge of the reinforcing flange and aflat rectangular metal strip fixed to the outer surface of the web todepend therefrom and slidablyengage the outer surface of the reinforcingflange.

4. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting supporting flanges and flat, vertically-disposedupwardly-projecting reinforcing flanges including, an elongate supportflange having an outer portion seated on the supporting flange of a railand an inner portion projecting inwardly from the supporting flange ofthe rail, an elongate, vertical, upwardly-projecting outer flangeengaged on the inner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardlyprojecting stop flange on the upper edge of the outer flange defining adownwardly disposed stop shoulder engaged on the upper edge of thereinforcing flange and a clip depending from the outer edge of the stopflange and engageable on the outer surface of the reinforcing flange.

5. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting supporting flanges and flat, vertically-disposedupwardly-projecting reinforcing flanges including, an elongate supportflange having an outer portion seated on the supporting flange of a railand an inner portion projecting inwardly from the supporting flange ofthe rail, an elongate, vertical, upwardlyprojecting outer flange engagedon the inner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly projectingstop flange on the upper edge of the outer flange defining a downwardlydisposed stop shoulder engaged on the upper edge of the reinforcingflange, a web projecting upwardly from the outer edge of the stop flangeand a clip fixed to the outer surface of the web and depending therefromto slidably engage the outer surface of the supporting flange.

6. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting support flanges with flat top surfaces and straightinwardly disposed tray-en gaging edges and flat vertical upwardlyprojecting reinforcing flanges with flat inner and outer surfaces andstraight upper edges and vertical posts at the ends of the railsincluding, an elongate horizontal supporting flange having an outerportion with a flat bottom surface seated on the top surface of thesupport flange of a rail, an inner portion projecting inwardly from therail and having a straight inwardly disposed tra -engaging edge, anelongate vertical outer flange with a flat outer surface engaged on theinner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly projecting part onthe outer flange defining a downwardly disposed stop shoulder engaged onthe upper edge of the reinforcing flange and a clip fixed to the upperpart of the outer flange and slidably engaging the outer surface of thereinforcing flange.

7. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting support flanges with flat top surfaces and straightinwardly disposed tray-engaging edges and flat vertical upwardlyprojecting reinforcing flanges with flat inner and outer surfaces andstraight upper edges and vertical posts at the ends of the railsincluding, an elongate horizontal supporting flange having an outerportion with a flat bottom surface seated on the top surface of thesupport flange of a rail, an inner portion projecting inwardly from therail and having a straight inwardly disposed tray-engaging edge, anelongate vertical outer flange with a flat outer surface engaged on theinner surface of the reinforcing flange, the adapter engaging andstopped against the posts at the ends of the rails.

8. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting support flanges with fiat top surfaces and straightinwardly disposed tray-engaging edges and flat vertical upwardlyprojecting reinforcing flanges with flat inner and outer surfaces andstraight upper edges and vertical posts at the ends of the railsincluding, an elongate horizontal supporting flange having an outerportion with a flat bottom surface seated on the top surface of thesupport flange of a rail, an inner portion projecting inwardly from therail and having a strai ht inwardly disposed tray-engaging edge, anelongate vertical outer flange with a flat outer surface engaged on theinner surface of the reinforcing flange, the ends of the outwardlyprojecting parts being engaged and stopped against the posts at the endsof the rails.

9. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterallyspaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting support flanges with flat top surfaces and straightinwardly disposed trayengaging edges and flat vertical upwardlyprojecting reinforcing flanges with flat inner and outer surfaces andstraight upper edges and vertical posts at the ends of the railsincluding, an elongate horizontal supporting flange having an outerportion with a flat bottom surface seated on the top surface of thesupport flange of a rail, an inner portion projecting inwardly from therail and having a straight inwardly disposed tray-engaging edge, anelongate vertical outer flange with a flat outer surface engaged on theinner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly offset web alongthe upper edge of the outer flange defining the downwardly disposedstopped shoulder engaged on the upper edge of the reinforcing flange anda clip fixed to the outer surface of the web to depend therefrom andslidaoly engage the outer surface of the reinforcing flange, the ends ofthe web being engaged with and stopped against the posts at the ends ofthe rails.

10. An adapter applicable to a tray rack having laterally-spaced,horizontal and parallel tray supporting rails with flat horizontalinwardly-projecting support flanges with flat top surfaces and straightinwardly disposed trayengaging edges and flat vertical upwardlyprojecting reinforcing flanges with flat inner and outer surfaces andstraight upper edges and vertical posts at the ends of the railsincluding, an elongate horizontal supporting flange having an outerportion with a flat bottom surface seated on the top surface of thesupport flange of a rail, an inner portion projecting inwardly from therail and having a straight inwardly disposed tray-engaging edge, anelongate vertical outer flange with a flat outer surface engaged on theinner surface of the reinforcing flange, an outwardly projecting stopflange on the upper edge of the outer flange defining a downwardlydisposed stop shoulder engaged on the upper edge of the reinforcingflange, a clip depending from the outer edge of the stop flange andengaging the outer surface of the reinforcing flange, the ends of thestop flange engaging and stopped against the posts at the ends of therails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,600,298 Jarrett June 10, 1952 2,815,649 Di Angelus et al Dec. 10, 19572,959,298 Pope Nov. 8, 196 0,

1. AN ADAPTER APPLICABLE TO A TRAY RACK HAVING LATERALLYSPACED,HORIZONTAL AND PARALLEL TRAY SUPPORTING RAILS WITH FLAT HORIZONTALINWARDLY-PROJECTING SUPPORTING FLANGES AND FLAT, VERTICALLY-DISPOSEDUPWARDLY-PROJECTING REINFORCING FLANGES INCLUDING, AN ELONGATE SUPPORTFLANGE HAVING AN OUTER PORTION SEATED ON THE SUPPORTING FLANGE OF A RAILAND AN INNER PORTION PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM THE SUPPORTING FLANGE OFTHE RAIL, AN ELONGATE, VERTICAL, UPWARDLYPROJECTING OUTER FLANGE ENGAGEDON THE INNER SURFACE OF